This is amazing. In the final months of the Bush Administration, pressure from the Sierra Club (among others), has resulted in denial of a permit for a new coal-fired electrical plant.
The really amazing part is the reason why the permit is denied (emphasis mine):
In a move that signals the start of the our clean energy future, the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) ruled today EPA had no valid reason for refusing to limit from new coal-fired power plants the carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. The decision means that all new and proposed coal plants nationwide must go back and address their carbon dioxide emissions.
"Today's decision opens the way for meaningful action to fight global warming and is a major step in bringing about a clean energy economy," said Joanne Spalding, Sierra Club Senior Attorney who argued the case. "This is one more sign that we must begin repowering, refueling and rebuilding America."
"The EAB rejected every Bush Administration excuse for failing to regulate the largest source of greenhouse gases in the United States. This decision gives the Obama Administration a clean slate to begin building our clean energy economy for the 21st century," continued Spalding
The decision follows a 2007 Supreme Court ruling recognizing carbon dioxide, the principle source of global warming, is a pollutant under the federal Clean Air Act.
What does this mean? As JaP says over at Daily Kos: Major EPA decision: no coal plants to be built in foreseeable future!
The Next Battle
Now there will be more pressure than ever from King Coal interests to fund their requests for technology development for so-called clean coal. Here are three things to keep in mind.
1. There is no proven technology for large scale carbon sequestration.
2. Mining coal is environmentally damaging, and, with current practices, a social and economic disaster for coal-mining communities as well.
3. Even with proposed clean coal technology, burning coal creates tons of toxic waste, with huge disposal problems.
Let's put it this way, if "clean coal" was a wonderful thing, would King Coal need to spend millions of dollars promoting it?
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